Adjustable form for curved surfaces.



PATENTED OUT. 22. 1907.

J. EL WOOD.

ADJUSTABLE FORM FOR GURVED SURFACES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23, 1907.

'INVEN T01? 0.7667729012 7450a? W/TNESSES A TTOHNE Y8 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

ADJUSTABLE FORM FOR CURVED SURFACES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2'2, 190?.

Application filed April 23,l90' Serial No. 369,879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMns ERASTUS Wool), a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Pittsburg. in the able form for curved surfaces, foruse in the construction of masonry and concrete bridges, culverts,tunnels, sewers, and in all places where it is necessary to use asupporting form during construction work.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a construction of thecharacter described, which is adjustal'ilc, any degree being obtainable,and wherein by removing oiplacing the various sections in position anylength of span can be secured.

Another purpose otthe invention is to provide a construction that can bereadily removed from the finished work, dismantled and transpm'ted.

Another purpose of the. invention is to provide a construction whereinthe corrugated lagging employed gives the greatest possible strength foran equal quantity of material and weight, and wherein in the erection ofsmall span arches no lagging is necessary.

The invention consists in' the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1V is a side elevation of the form adapted to a large span; Fig.2 is a vertical section through one member of the form and the laggingarried thereby Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the members orsections of the form shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section through amember of the form taken at right angles to the section shown in Fig. 2,and is likewise a longitudinal section through the lagging; Fig. 5 is aside elevation of the form adapted for small spans; Fig. (i isa side.elevation of one of the members or sections employed in theconstructionshown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a modifiedconstruction hereinafter more fully described. m The body of the deviceis made of a series of substantially triangular or loop-shaped ribsections A, I

which for long spans are preferably made of iron, al-' though acombination of material may be used, and

since all of the sections are similar in every respect,

only one will be described in detail. w

The sectionsA are usually placed side by side and have a hingeconnection 10 at their upper opposing side surfaces, the pintlcs 11being readily removable so that any desirednumber of sections can becoupled together necessary to the work in hand, but other forms of hingeconnection may beemployed, as will be hereinafter described. Adjacenttotho lower end or bottom surface the sections are connected by boltsl2passed loosely through apertures 13 in their opposing faces, which boltsare provided with heads 14 engaging one surface and with nuts J5, 16 and17; two of which are between the sections and the other at the free endof the bolt, as is shown in Figs. 1. and 5.

The curve of the arch desired, is obtained by tightening up or looseningthe said bolts to produce a simple or compound curve of any degree. Thebolts 12 may be straighter curved as occasion may demand.

In the detail construction of a section A as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3,each section consists of opposing sides .18 that diverge at their upperends, the lower end portion of a section being curved to a greater orlesser de gree. A flat top plate 20 connects the two side pieces 18 attheir upper ends, and this top plate 20. is provided with a slot 21about centrally therein, and a lip 22 that extends from the forward orrear portion of the cap or top plate20, as is best shown in Fig. 3, andin this lip of wood 26 islocated within the upper portion of a sectionA, bearing against the under face of the cap plate 20, and at its bottomagainst a bolt 27 that is a fixture and which extends from side. to sideof the section serving not only to support the block 26 but tostrengthen the section.

In connection with each section A, a lagging B is employed, preferablyconstructed of metal, but which may be made sometimes of wood. Thislagging B consists of a corrugated body portion 28 and a top plate 29secured to the body, the top plate being smooth and flat. The lagging Bmay be made in sections-of varied lengths and the sections are heldtogether by clips 30,

or their equivalents, as is. shown in Fig. 4, and the metal lagging'B isattached to the several sections A employed by set or logging screws 31that are passed up through the apertures 23 in the lips 22 of thesections, into the body portion of the lagging, as is indicated inFigsll and 4. 4

In short spanarches for sewers, windows and the like, as is shown inFig. 5, the bodies or the rib sections A are more pronouncedlytriangular and are preferably constructed, of one piece of material, andthe said sections A. are made very long horizontally, as is shown inFig. 3, and their upper flat surfaces 32 serve as lagging, no auxiliarylagging being necessary. The blocks 26 are omitted, but the sections Ahave a hinge connection 33 that is usually similar to that shown in Fig.1.

As many triangular sections A as are necessary to form I the arch arehinged or bolted together and all tie bolts K2 are securely tightened. I

In connection with the form of construction shown in Fig. 1, theturn-buckle 25 above referred to is used as a brace and is passedthrough the apertures 24 of the end sections A and secured by nuts 35 orenlargements, but any equivalent of the turn-buckle may be substituted.When as many rib sections as are necessary are connected, the corrugatediron lagging B is placed in position, and secured by the aforesaid setscrews, 31.

When the device is to be removed from the masonry, several of the bolts12 near the center of the arch are loosened and the turn-buckle is drawninward until the arch center is disengaged from the finished work. Whenthe lagging is of wood, it is secured by wood screws 35 to the blocks26, as is shown in Fig. 2.

The triangular sections A or A need not be connected by the knuckle typeof hinge, shown in Figs. 1 and 5, since a hinge connection may beprovided of the type shown in Fig, 7. In said Fig. 7 a triangularsection A is provided with a depression 36. in one side at the top, andwith a corresponding projection 37 at the opposite side, and when aprojection is iitted into a depression, a bolt 38 is passed through theengaging portions of the section, which bolts are provided with suitablenuts and the nuts are so placed upon the bolts that the bolts can have alittle play, in order that the sections may be adjusted to the curvatureoi the arch.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent,- 1. In forms for curved surfaces, a substantiallytriangular section having an upper flat cap plate, and provided withmeans at its upper side surfaces for adjustable connection with anopposing section, and means connected with one. of the side surfaces ofthe section at its lower portion for adjustable connection with the sidesurface of an adjoining section.

2. In a form for curved surfaces, a substantially triangular sectionhaving a flat cap plate at its upper end provided with openings therein,the side portions of the said section being provided with a series ofapertures, the upper side portions of the section being provided withmeans for adjustable connection with an adjoining section, and meansengaging one of the apertures in one of the side portions of the sectionand adapted for adjustable connection with the side of an opposingsection. v

3. In an adjustable form for curved surfaces, a substan tiallytriangular section provided with an upper flat cap plate having a lipextension. means at opposite sides of the cap for adjustable connectionwith an adjoining Sii'ilnll,

and a block stationarily held within the section below the cap plate,the sides of the section being provided with a series of openings.

4. In a form for curved surfaces, a series of substantially triangularsections, adjustable connections between the upper portions of the saidsections, and bolts provided with suitable nuts adjustably connectingthe opposing lower portions of the said sections.

5. In a form for curved surfaces, a series of substantially triangularbody sections, each provided with a cap plate at its upper end,adjustable connections between the upper portions of the said sections,bolts provided with suitable nuts adjustably connecting the opposinglower portions of the said sections. and a lagging secured to the upperportions of the said sections.

G. In an adjustable form for curved surfaces, a series of substantiallytriangular sections having means for hinged connection at their upperends/and an adjustable connection between their upper and their lowerends.

7. In a form for curved surfaces, a series of triangular sections havingadjustable connection at theirupper ends and adjustable connectionbetween their lower ends, and means for drawing the lower ends of thesections in direction of each other.

8. In a form for curved surfaces, a series of triangular sections havingadjustable connection at their upper ends and adjustable connectionbetween their lower ends, means for drawing the lower ends of thesections in direction of each other, and a lagging removably secured tothe upper portions of the said sections.

5). In a form for curved surfaces, a plurality of substantiailytriangular sections, each having an upper flat surface, adjustableconnections between said sections at their upper opposing side surfaces,and means for adjustably connecting the lower portions'of said sectionswith each other.

10. In an adjustable form for curved surfaces, :1 plurality of sections,hinge connections between said sections at one end thereof, andadjustable connections between said sections adjacent to their otherends.

11. In a form for curved surfaces, a section having a Hat cap plate-atone end, provided with a lip extension, means at opposite sides of thecap plate for adjustable con nection with an adjoining section, a blockheld within the section and hearing at one end against the cap plate,and a bolt extending through the sides of the section and engaging' theother end of said block.

12. In a form for curved surfaces, a substantially triangular sectionprovided with a fiat cap plate at one end having a lip extension formedwith an aperture, means at opposite sides of the cap plate foradjustable connection with an adjoining section, a lagging resting onthe said cap plate and a screw extending through the aperture in thesaid lip extension and engaging the lagging.

13. In a form for curved surfaces a plurality of sections having hingedconnection at their upper ends, bolts provided with nuts and adjustablyconnecting the opposing lower portions of said sections, and a turnbuckle extending through the lower ends of said sections.

In testimony whereof I have siened my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ERASTUS WOOD.

'Wi'tnesses .lnssis V. BRONSON, Mrs, L. K. C. GLoA'na.

